Beginner's Luck
by Phoebe Miller
Summary: Sometimes beginners have the best luck. Others not so much... A carefree night of fun for Will and Grace is interrupted, and the Ohana must jump into action.
1. Chapter 1

**This story is a bit disjointed at times, disorienting. The style and format may not be clean enough for the purists. The flow isn't smooth on purpose. The timeline is all over the place. Until it all comes together at the end. A warning for readers who still see Grace as a cute little girl – shield your eyes. I'd love to know what you all think. Enjoy…**

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_"What do we do next?" Will was so earnest and so shy. He used humor to deflect. Like her dad did. Maybe that's why she liked him so much. _

_Grace breathed into her smile, feeling at peace with what came next._

_"Stay here."_

_A flash of sheer terror lit his eyes before he blurted. "Tonight? I'll get killed."_

_"They don't expect you back. Not til later."_

_"Yea, you're right." He could see her wanting to soothe him, and he believed her as always. _

_"And Danno is with Uncle Steve. He's not coming home tonight."_

_"He trusts you?"_

_"I think Uncle Steve has him tied to a chair." _

_Her laughter fell like rose petals in the wind. Will touched her hand and then leaned in for a kiss._

_"I'll miss you."_

_"Me too."_

_They fell back against the nest of pillows and comforter. Tucked into their own little world._

_/././_

_**Two Days Later**_

Grace woke from a dream. She kept going back to that perfect moment. She wasn't sure how long she'd been asleep. Thought she knew what day it was by keeping track of the slit of sunshine that crossed her room. She figured she'd been there two days. No food. Four bottles of water. A mattress and a blanket. A bucket.

Hunger had come and gone, mostly quelled by a stabbing fear she kept pushing away. She couldn't be scared. She wanted to stay alert, ready for – she stopped herself. Letting anger burn in her cheeks for a few breaths. Fear had a way of conning its way into her thoughts. Dwelling on anything was useless and a gateway to becoming a quivering mess. Her dad and Uncle Steve had taught her better.

She hadn't cried. Still in shock, despite her best efforts to deny what happened. The dream was an escape, a shield. Her dad would come. Uncle Steve would come. She repeated those words any time tears threatened. She couldn't allow herself to feel anything. She listened and watched. All she could hear were seagulls and an ever-present breeze. There wasn't much to catalog for later. Grey walls, cement floor. Black metal door with no handle. Window way up high.

_Her dad would come. Uncle Steve would come. _

She was hard. Tough as nails. Trained to remain calm. No, she would not let fear win.

She took a sip of her water. Just a sip. She didn't want to waste her supply.

But worse, she didn't want to pee in a bucket. It was awkward and horrible and -

_Were they watching?_

She scanned the room for a camera. She didn't see one but that didn't mean there wasn't one hidden. Uncle Jerry had taught her that. She smiled. He always made her laugh. She could hear him in her head. She lay back and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders thinking of her kooky, nerdy uncle.

She had a lot of uncles.

Jerry, Lou, Adam, Junior, Kamekona, Flippa, Chin ... Steve.

She was counting on all of them – and Tani. She couldn't forget her newest kickass auntie.

And her dad.

God, she knew he was not okay right then. She could picture him red-faced and serious. Weighed down by worry and running on angry fumes. Uncle Steve would keep him in line. They'd work together, and they'd find her.

_Her dad would come. Uncle Steve would come. _

With a deep breath she allowed herself to think of Will. Grace didn't know if he was alive...or dead.

She stopped that thought. _No way._ Will was alive and he would help them find her. That's why he was there. That's why he'd spent the night. Thank God he'd stayed the whole night. She'd take a hundred million scoldings to get home safe. Grounded forever. No phone. She'd watch her brother every night until she left for college.

Well... she laughed again. That might be taking it too far.

_Her dad would come. Uncle Steve would come._

/././

_**Two Days Earlier **_

"Hey Grace!" Danny closed the front door behind him with his foot, balancing an empty suitcase and three bags of groceries. "Grace? You ready to go?"

_I could use a little help_. He let the sentence drift through his mind. It was a dad thought that often went unanswered.

Dropping the suitcase in the front room, Danny headed for the kitchen. He'd borrowed the bag from Steve. Though borrowed wasn't the right word. Steve might never see it again. Grace was taking it to college. Packing it with her life. Steve didn't care. Said he knew Grace would bring it back one day.

That patented Steve McGarrett brand of assured arrogance made Danny roll his eyes at even at the memory. Steve could get on his nerves worse than his kids. _How could he be so certain a good thing would happen?_

Danny set the groceries on the counter. His chest tightened a little. He'd eaten four slices of pizza after midnight. He may as well have signed his death sentence for the next day. Or two. Sometimes he ate his emotions. He could hear Steve laughing at him, telling him he should go for a swim instead.

But this feeling was different. Something was off. He found himself holding his breath, straining to listen.

"Grace? Monkey?"

His voice rose in pitch at saying her nickname. He rarely did that anymore. She was too big. An adult.

But right then he felt a ribbon of fear slither through his veins. Danny needed to see his daughter.

"Grace." He wasn't asking now. "Answer me, young lady."

Hand to his hip, he hated that he felt the need for his gun. It wasn't there anyway. He'd left it locked in his glove box.

Danny froze when he heard the slightest sound. Might have been a whimper. A sharp inhale. He wanted to call out again, but knew he couldn't keep it together if he did. Instead he talked to himself, griping. It's what he did. No one would think anything of it.

"You know, I really could use a hand. I bought groceries for your party. Uncle Steve is excited. He can't wait to see you. I think he wants to stow away in that frickin suitcase. It's big enough."

Edging his way out of the kitchen, Danny was ready to keep rambling, but then he heard it again. It was more of a wheeze this time. His heart rate increased.

Now he was sure there was someone else in the house with him. And somewhere in his heart, he knew it wasn't Grace.

But he didn't know if they were a threat. He tried humor to lighten the mood. But it came out a little darker than he'd like.

"I hope your friends don't think I'm gonna let them spike the punch." Danny actually laughed. "You know Uncle Steve will break their fingers."

He'd break more than that if someone hurt his Grace.

One step, two steps.

And then he saw them.

Bare feet sticking out from where there shouldn't be anything but an open doorway.

Grace's room.

_Shit. _

His eyes watered and he couldn't breathe if he wanted.

Another step.

He was unarmed, but ready to kick some ass.

God, he knew those feet.

Will.

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**Wowzers...what do you think? This story is finished. I'll post every other day. I'm also working on the next chapters for What Were You Thinking...**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Same day…**_

"I wanna see my kid." Lou shoved four HPD officers out of his way like a bowling ball. "Where's my kid?"

Steve stopped him. "Wait."

"Get out of my way, Steve. I mean it." Right then, Lou was a brick wall of unchecked fatherly aggression. No one stood a chance. Not even a highly trained Navy SEAL.

Making eye contact, Steve took a breath. His friend was shaking and he wanted to make it stop.

"He's okay, Lou. Will's alright."

Lou searched Steve's face. The frantic swirl of energy faded a little. But only a fraction.

"Where -"

"Danny's with him."

"Danny?"

The name didn't compute for a second. _Why would Danny be with his son?_ Where was Grace? Didn't he have his own kid to worry about?

It hit him hard and tears streamed down his face.

"Grace?"

The flash of pain on Steve's face almost broke Lou. No explanation was needed. This was bad. _So bad._

"Lou." Danny's voice cut through the moment. "Will's inside."

Standing there, like any other day, Danny held the front door open, inviting him into his home. Lou walked toward him in a daze. What parallel universe had he stumbled into? How could Danny be so calm?

When he got closer, Lou shuddered. What he saw scared him. He knew what came next. The madness. The search. What bubbled beneath the surface was awesome in its magnitude. He'd been there himself.

But right then. The calm was disturbing. Lou exchanged a quick glance with Steve that said everything.

_This is fucked up. This will not be pretty. _

/././

Steve stood guard on the driveway. No one got inside without checking with him. He wanted to keep traffic to a minimum. Necessary personnel only.

Which was Danny, Lou, a paramedic and Will.

No Grace.

_What the fuck had happened? _

Steve didn't know if Will had said anything. He was pretty messed up when they found him. Face beaten to a pulp. A nasty gash on the back of his head. Fingernails ripped off. Shirt torn. The door to Grace's room had been pushed in. Completely off its frame.

They were taking Will to Queens. Transport was almost ready.

Preparing himself for what came next, Steve hardened his heart. He didn't know what would happen. Except for one thing - with the immediate needs buttoned up, Danny would be left with the awful truth.

Grace was missing. _Again._

There was only one thing for Steve to do. Lead his ohana through this hell.

Jerry was already running down the slim leads they had. Traffic cams. Two neighbors had those security doorbell cameras. Motion detectors. HPD was canvassing the area, knocking on doors.

A new arrival had Steve on high alert. He softened only a fraction when Tani and Junior tumbled out of her car. Both looking like they'd just woken up. Together.

Steve pushed that thought away, as amusing as it was.

"What do we know?" Junior spoke first, all business even though he was wearing yesterday's clothes.

Tani stood beside him, mouth open in a question.

Steve touched her shoulder and she jumped. "Go talk to Danny."

"Talk to him?" She was angry for a second like his request was outrageous. Then she almost whispered. "What do I say?"

"I don't know." Steve was honest. "Keep an eye on him. Give him an update."

"Has anyone called Rachel?" Junior asked.

"Yes. She has Charlie on Maui with Stan. They're already in police protection."

"Good, that's good." Junior was running out of things to hold him back.

Steve knew the feeling. He itched with the need to do something more concrete, too.

"Junior – coordinate with HPD. Take the lead here."

"Yes sir."

For once Steve didn't mind the sir. He wanted Junior the SEAL right then. Not a friend.

Tani hesitated. Still bewildered. Junior flashed a reassuring smile. "You've got this."

Before she could move, someone approached. They watched another paramedic wheel a gurney toward the house. Steve gave his blessing but didn't leave his post. Tani took her cue and followed, helping guide the stretcher over the threshold.

When they emerged a few minutes later, Steve tensed his jaw. Will was worse now as the bruises had begun to bloom. Lou didn't even look up when the group walked past. He was murmuring things to his son. Steve felt the most awful tug on his chest. His eyes darted to the empty hole of a doorway where he could make out Danny standing inside, draped in shadow, hands flexing and unflexing.

The battle had begun.

/././

_**Earlier that day...if time existed in dreams...**_

_Grace laughed as her dress slid down her body. She'd been drunk before and this wasn't the same feeling. It was better…so much better._

_Will stood in his boxers, hands on his hips, pretending to be impatient with her. She knew he was just as nervous. _

_"I locked the door and set the alarm. No one's coming."_

_"You sure?" Will moved in closer, his fingers tracing the lace on her strapless bra. She'd bought this one special for the dress. "This is pretty. I like it."_

_She knew she was blushing, as the heat rose in her cheeks. There was something else too. She tingled all over. Her body anticipating. _

_He leaned in and kissed her; their mouths open. They weren't new to this part. Tongues touching, breathing together. Hands roaming._

_Grace stepped into his embrace, nudging that hard, warm place. _

_"Do you want me to-"_

_She didn't finish her sentence. Will took her hand and moved it farther south. _

_"Yea." He shivered. "If you want."_

_Nodding, she slid her hand under his waistband, fingers curling around his length. They'd done that before, too. Will pushed the dress to the floor and her panties along with it. _

/././

_**Two days later...maybe...**_

Grace woke up again, and it was dark this time. She wanted to stay in that dream. To linger again. The pleasure of the moment a tease and a savior. She wasn't scared.

But then the bliss evaporated and her eyes watered. Pissed off, she would not cry. She didn't know if she could. She hadn't been drinking the water.

Grace did not want to pee in the bucket. Not again.

Balancing on the rough, plastic edge was not her idea of anything she ever wanted to do. Part of her felt bold because she'd done it, though. She was tough as nails.

_Her dad would come. Uncle Steve would come._

And she'd tell them how brave she was.

Well, maybe she'd leave out the bucket and her dreams. She'd keep those things to herself. Her dad always talked about leaving some stuff unsaid. He didn't need all the details.

Her next breath caught sharp in her chest. Maybe she would tell Danno everything. But she wouldn't cry. She'd conserve her water.

She would wait for them. It's all she could do.

Grace lay down on the flimsy mattress and listened to the seagulls laughing.

_Her dad would come. Uncle Steve would come._

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**_There are 5 chapters to this story. I will post every other day. _**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Two days earlier**_

Lou stood beside his sleeping son. He couldn't sit down. He'd been pacing the hall because Renee had kicked him out of the room. Until she needed a break. And here he was again, seeing only the bruises and cuts. Will looked like a side of meat, not the boy he'd sent off to a birthday party.

He refused to dwell on why his son had been wearing only his boxer shorts. Lou was young once. He knew. And none of that mattered.

His thoughts shifted to Danny's perspective. Lou had a daughter. He knew. Seeing your child's boyfriend wearing nothing but his drawers - well, that was enough to light the fire. That same baby girl being missing could kill a man.

It tore Lou up that he couldn't comfort Danny like he'd comforted him when Samantha had been taken. Before they even really knew one another. Danny had saved him.

Now Lou couldn't leave his son. He was selfish and filled with shame about it.

"Lou. Knock that off." Renee smacked his arm. "Danny wouldn't want you anywhere but here."

His wife could read minds. Mainly _his_ mind.

"Lord I hope she had some decent clothes on." Renee shook her head and made that odd sort of embarrassed sound that resembled a chuckle.

It was crazy what ran through your head in times like this, but he'd been thinking the same thing. He couldn't chuckle though. All he could do was sigh. Lou blew out a world of pain. For himself. For Danny. But it wasn't enough.

He prayed they found that precious young lady. Alive.

Renee leaned against him, slipping her arm around him. Closing his eyes didn't shut out the worry. He had to stay in the moment.

Lou forced himself to focus on something positive. If his son hadn't been there, they might not have any leads on Grace.

Not that Will had said much.

White masks. Two guys. Stinky breath.

That's all they knew so far.

/././

_**Two days later... time was a blur…**_

No new leads, and Danny was bouncing off the walls.

Cracked tiles in the bathroom. A smear of blood. A tipped over garbage can.

A scream of anguish so intense, the birds rose from the trees outside the building.

Steve followed the trail with expert precision.

His quarry was not elusive but that didn't mean it was no less dangerous. The madness had to be contained.

But there was no reasoning with Danny. He wanted blood. Steve knew from sparring with his best friend that someone was going to get hurt. It may as well be him.

"Take a break, man. Come on. You can't keep going like this."

Danny made direct eye contact with Steve for the first time all day. "Don't tell me what to do."

Steve knew what was coming. He fanned the flames a little.

"You need me, Danny."

"Need you?" Danny giggled. "What would make you think that?"

Flashing a smile, Steve stepped closer but didn't respond to Danny's words.

"What good are you, huh Steven?" The words stung as much as any punch.

The room vibrated. They stared at one another.

"Gee, I don't know, Daniel. Maybe I'm better than you?"

That did it.

Danny hit Steve square in the jaw. Steve stumbled backwards, quickly taking a defensive stance. He wouldn't fight but he sure as hell wouldn't let himself get too fucked up. He still needed to lead the team.

This exercise was meant only to release the building tension.

But Danny surprised him. Knocked him to the ground. The punches kept coming. Steve landed one or two, trying to throw Danny off guard. His actions only fueled his partner. Danny grabbed Steve's shirt with both hands and shook him, bouncing his head off the floor.

Where there was once reason, now Steve saw only stars and white spots.

"Sirs! Stop!" Junior bellowed.

Steve caught Junior's angry face in his peripheral vision. Danny's weight was suddenly just gone. Steve rolled over and pushed to his feet, not turning his back on Danny.

"God! What are you doing?" Tani's voice was feral. Shocked, confused. "Stop it!"

Danny deflated a little but Steve remained hard. Eyes cold and steady.

"Shake it off." Junior stood between them, both arms out. "We're all under a lot of stress."

"How does this happen?" Danny sighed. "My baby is gone."

Steve opened his mouth and broke one of his biggest rules. He made a promise. "We'll find her."

"Fuck you." Danny spat the words with a small spray of blood. He went into his office and shut the door.

/././

_**Somewhere on Oahu...same day...**_

Would this be all she ever knew? _Would she die there?_ Alone with her dreams.

_Her dad would come. Uncle Steve would come._

She'd kissed three boys.

Will had been her first ti- She stopped again.

She didn't want to think about him. Or anyone else.

Grace peeled the label off the empty water bottle. She had one left. Not even one. Two thirds of one.

It was hot in her cell today. That was the first time she thought about it that way. She was a prisoner.

Kidnapped by two guys who smelled like alcohol and fish. Rotten fish. Memories were coming back to her in pieces.

Her bedroom door cracking and ripping away from the wall. The sudden burst of violence. She and Will had been no match for the frenzy that followed.

One man pinned her against the bed, breathing nastiness in her face while he waited for the other guy. Grace fought. Kicking and screaming. Fingernails tearing his flesh until he punched her in the mouth, cursing at her. Her lips still hurt.

She'd caught glimpses of Will on the floor.

He'd fought too. He'd kicked the guy in the nuts earning himself more punches and kicks. Until she couldn't see him anymore.

She'd been flipped onto her stomach and the men had joked about having sex with her. Even pressed himself against her. She'd braced herself for the worst. But neither guy had touched her except one of them had licked her neck. They'd yanked her arms behind her and tied them with something. Ordering her not to make another sound. Grace had obeyed, praying she had more time left.

It was then that she realized they were wearing masks. White faces like in a horror film she'd just seen.

This gave her hope.

If she didn't see their faces, they might keep her alive.

_Her dad would come. Uncle Steve would come._

Grace knew she had to do her part. Uncle Steve's words were in her head.

_Survive until rescue_.

He'd talked to her once not long after she'd been kidnapped by Rick Peterson. Convinced her she'd done everything she could. She survived.

That was her job now.

Her dad had scolded Steve for his blunt chat with his innocent child.

Now she was glad for it.

Her dad wanted to shield her from the world. She knew he couldn't. And she knew that he knew it too. That's why he tried so hard anyway. To stay one step ahead.

He'd be so upset with himself. He'd let his guard down. He'd given her too much freedom. Grace could hear the rant in her head. It was almost soothing.

She knew he carried the world on his shoulders.

"It's not your fault, Danno." She called to no one.

Unless someone was listening. She scanned the room for a camera again. This time she thought she spied something high above her.

Someone had watched her pee. Twice.

And that meant her dad would see her use the bucket. If he ever saw the feed. Or her Uncle Steve. The thought made her blush with embarrassment. And Uncle Jerry. He'd be blushing more than her. He was such a sweet guy.

She looked up at the camera and whispered. "I'm sorry."

/././

_**Same day...in a very tense office...**_

They had nothing.

Someone had gotten very, very lucky.

There'd been a struggle. DNA taken from what was left of Will's fingernails confirmed it. But there'd been no hits in any database.

_Beginner's luck._

The worst kind.

No ransom call had come.

Grace was simply gone. Leaving a gaping hole in all of them.

Steve was frustrated. As team leader, he had to be above emotions. A brick wall against the tidal wave of desperation. Responsible for each of them.

This was not how he wanted things to go down. He felt like they were falling apart. Until he watched Jerry and Adam, still focusing on the work.

Jerry stood at the smart table, lost in something he was reading. He'd been scouring the dark web for clues. Adam was beside him flipping through images on the big screen. He was analyzing grainy footage from a neighbor's bird watching cam. Two men, both dressed in black appeared briefly in the recording. It had to be them. But they'd vanished into the night. Aided by a dark moon and storm clouds. More luck.

Tani and Junior were in Steve's office huddled in front of a laptop, scouring any and all available footage from anywhere near Danny's place. Steve watched the way they talked to one another. His earlier theory came back to him. He wondered if they were together. That happy thought vanished as Tani pounded the desk and stormed out.

"I need a break." She called for everyone to hear.

They'd been at it too long. _What choice did they have?_ But the lack of evidence was reaching the tipping point.

Until quite suddenly, everything changed. It was like someone had sped up the tape. Fast forward to a break in the case.

"I know where Gracie is!"

The familiar voice sliced through the collective gloom. Kamekona lumbered into the office. A giant house of a man.

Right then he was a god.

"Some small-time hood wanting to make a name for himself. He's been shopping her around."

Steve stood, mouth open in horror, taking a cell phone from Kamekona. Eyes registering what he saw.

Grace lying on a mattress. The feed coming from high above her. It was the bucket that broke Steve. He shoved the phone at Kamekona, ordering him to put it away without a word. Don't let Danny see. Not now. _Not ever_.

Kamekona nodded. "Looks like an old warehouse complex near Kalaeloa. I think I know the place."

Danny lifted his head, words finally registering. He headed for the door before Steve could grab him.

Kamekona followed them, breathing hard.

"Let me go with you. I can get us there faster. And in one piece. My bird is fired up and waiting."

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_**Throw some love Tracey450's way. She writes some awesome stories. And she suggested I expand a scene. More showing and less telling! **_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Can you believe it?! I'm sticking to a schedule! Happy Friendiversary to Tracey450! Can't believe we've only been writing together 4 years! Thanks to everyone for reading my stuff. Double extra special thanks to those who've commented,too. I hope you all enjoy this chapter... **_

* * *

Lou was bored. Sitting there with his son was like watching paint dry. Steve had ordered him not to leave the hospital. They were running blind, and Will needed protection. Not that Lou didn't agree. He just hated feeling cooped up.

So he couldn't be blamed for what came out of his mouth. "Boy, I hope you used a condom."

"Lou!" Renee slapped her husband's arm.

"What? No glove, no love." Lou wasn't deterred. "We've had this conversation. I make sure my son is prepared."

Eyes wide, Will did his best to disappear.

"Come on, they're practically adults." Lou defended himself.

Renee shook her head. "I don't think this is appropriate -"

"What are we supposed to talk about, Renee? Hmmm?"

She glared, arms crossed tightly. Holding back.

Lou stoked her fire. Getting the death stare was better than being bored. "Should we discuss how our son's girlfriend is missing? Kidnapped from her bed? How our son was found in his skivvies?"

"Hey, I tried to stop - " Will blurted, eyes welling up with tears.

Softening, Lou rubbed his son's shoulder. "Son, no one's blaming you. Honestly besides the birds and the bees stuff, I'm glad you were there. Without you, we wouldn't have any leads."

"That's right, baby." Renee moved closer to the bed, voice low and soothing. "You rest."

"I can't rest." Will sat up straight with a wince. "Grace is out there -"

"What are you gonna do? Lead the search? We've got it covered. Everyone is out looking for Grace."

"But it's my fault."

Will was so sure of his words that Lou paused and studied him before asking. "And just how is it your fault?"

"I pressured her."

Time stopped for a few seconds as both parents pinned their son to the bed with a combined icy stare.

Lou took a step back. "You what, now?"

Will stumbled on his next words. "I - well - I guess it was both of us. But-"

"But what? You better spill it, right now, young man." Renee leaned in close. "I raised my son better than-"

Squirming, Will didn't make eye contact with his parents. "We were curious...about sex...you know."

"Oh I know." Renee rolled her eyes at her kid and then turned to Lou. "I told you this would happen."

She smacked her husband again.

"Why you hitting me?" Hands up, Lou opened himself up for more whacks. He had it coming. Always did.

"You're his father." The obvious answer.

Will jumped in. "I thought we should do it before college."

"And what did Grace think about your idea?" Lou crossed his fingers the answer was yes.

"She agreed."

The entire room sighed with relief.

Wrinkling his nose, Lou frowned for a second. Half confused. "So then there was no pressure?"

"Thank you, Jesus." Renee looked away, closing her eyes, biting back tears. They were all on an emotional rollercoaster.

"Why would you lead me on like that? Danny would have your head if he found out you - hell, Danny will have your head no matter what for touching Grace."

"Don't tell him." Will blurted.

Lou and Renee both laughed.

"Son, what you may not realize in your hormone haze -" Lou chuckled. "See your mom and me - believe it or not - we were your age once. Danny, too."

Renee added. "What you and Grace did - it's normal. But her father-"

"I thought her place was best. No one was home. And we-"

"Will," Lou raised his voice. "You better stop talking now. Your brain is misfiring."

"But Grace." Tears streaked Will's bruised face.

Renee swooped in and gathered her son gently in her arms. "You rest. Grace will be alright."

Lou put his arms around his wife and son. "All we can do is pray."

Just then, his phone buzzed in his pocket.

/././

Guns drawn, Steve and Danny stood over one of the worthless pieces of shit who kidnapped Grace.

"Grace Williams! Where is she?" Steve bellowed. Glances at Danny told him he'd better do the talking.

Danny twitched, chest heaving, face contorted in anger. A monster on a leash. Grace was the one thing saving the idiot's life.

"Don't know who that is, man." The guy shrugged, smug smile on his face.

"I know you." Mouth open in disbelief and anger, Danny caught his breath. "You work for my plumber. Mother fucker."

Hands flexing, Danny spun around and circled Steve and their suspect, muttering to himself. Steve needed to bring him back to Earth. "Plumber? Danny, that was months ago."

"He's the guy's helper. He came back last week to fix –" Danny didn't finish his sentence.

The guy started laughing. "You're daughter's pretty tasty."

"What did you say?" Steve barely said the words before Danny fell on the guy.

"Tell me where she is!" Hands on the guy's throat, Danny was a man possessed. He squeezed to get his point across. "Tell me now!"

"Danny!" Steve yelled, grabbing his partner. "Stop!"

Steve pulled Danny off, eyes meeting for a few seconds before Danny backed off. With a rough jerk of the zip-ties, Steve restrained the asshole, rubbing his face into the cement floor.

"So you do know her."

The guy coughed. "I might."

"Goddamit, tell me where my daughter is!" Danny kicked him in the ribs.

"Alright! Stop, I can't take it." The man whined. "She's about five miles from here. Condemned farm complex. There's an old warehouse. Place is up for auction. Seemed like a good place to stash her."

"Stash her?" Danny kicked him again. Harder this time.

Steve jerked his partner away and then shouted orders to HPD who were waiting outside. They could button things up. He ran to catch up with Danny, who was already outside. They climbed into Kamekona's waiting chopper.

"Come on, let's get Gracie." Steve shouted above the rotors.

/././

_**New Jersey…2009…**_

_Grace clutched a pink bunny. Her favorite stuffed animal. A gift from her father. It was stained and missing an ear. But she didn't care. Her mom kept tossing it in the trash._

_The night was warm but a breeze from a bedside fan kept things comfortable. Lightning flashed and she fought back tears. Her Danno was out there somewhere. He wasn't coming home that night. Or maybe not ever again. _

_She and her mom were moving to Hawaii. A place she'd never been. So far away it felt like another planet. She'd promised to be brave. _

_She didn't care about beaches and sunshine. Stan was nice but he wasn't her dad. Grace wanted her Danno. _

/././

_**Present day…**_

Grace woke up with a start. She'd been crying and her eyes were puffy and sore. A headache had been lingering for hours. The dream didn't soothe her.

_Her dad would come. Uncle Steve would come. _

She wanted to believe it. Had to believe it. Grace repeated the mantra, though now it only made things worse. She couldn't take it anymore.

But then -

Something was different. There were voices. She told herself it was just the seagulls. But no - Grace heard someone yelling.

Then gunfire.

Heart racing, she backed into the corner of the room, shaking.

_Was this the end?_

/././

_**Seconds later…**_

"Monkey? You in there? It's Danno." Danny shouted. "Talk to me. Please Grace."

He crumpled a little when he didn't get an answer.

Nudging his best friend, Steve called out. "If you're in there, Grace, get away from the door. We're coming in."

Steve shot the lock and threw back the door. Danny burst into the room, blinded by the dim light at first.

"Dad? Uncle Steve?" A soft voice greeted him. Music to his ears.

"Grace." Danny gathered his daughter in his arms. His mind went blank, and he didn't know what he was saying. "You okay? Are you hurt? God, it's so good to see you. Are you real?"

"Danno." Grace cooed and melted against him. Tears soaked through his shirt.

Steve stood guard, again the sentinel. He hardened. Not relaxing til this was over.

"Steve."

He didn't move.

"Earth to Steven."

"Danny?" Worry surged again in his voice. "Is Gracie okay? The bus is on its way."

"Get over here." Danny waved him over.

Steve stepped into the embrace, completing the circle.

"Thank you, Danno." Grace murmured. "Thank you, Uncle Steve. Knew you'd come."


	5. Chapter 5

_**Hours of paper work and annoying doctors later…**_

"Lou – come in –" Danny opened the door wider, stepping aside so Lou could enter.

They hugged with big claps on the back, punctuating their feelings. No words exchanged at first. Lou followed Danny to the kitchen, accepting the offered beverage.

"How's Will?" Danny took a sip of his beer.

"Thanks, you read my mind." Lou twisted the top off his bottle and drank for a few seconds. Like he was dying of thirst. He sighed. "My son is finally home and sleeping."

Danny smiled. "That's good to hear."

"How's Grace?"

"She was just texting Will, so-" Danny shrugged with just a hint of mischief.

"What? That boy." Lou grit his teeth and shook his head.

"Hey." Danny touched Lou's arm. "Let them."

Looking Danny up and down, Lou remarked. "You're mighty calm about this. Give me whatever you're taking. Cause there ain't enough alcohol."

He waved his empty beer. Danny grabbed the bottle and set it in the sink with his own. Trees rustled as the breeze picked up, and waves crashed on the beach. Adding an urgency to the room.

Lou shoved his hands into his pockets and focused on the floor. "Look man, I am really sorry about my kid."

Danny tilted his head, confusion marred his warm smile. "For what?"

"You know." Lou made odd gestures with his hands, trying hard not to be suggestive.

"Stop. Please. Before you hurt yourself." Danny laughed. "I can't take it."

"You're not mad?"

"For what?" Danny repeated with a little more force this time.

"Wait-" Lou leaned in and felt Danny's forehead. "You sure you're alright? I mean, if it was my daughter – "

"You'd be thankful she's home – and safe." Danny grabbed another beer. Lou declined a second drink.

"Yea, you got me there. But still – you're too calm. It's-" Lou wrinkled his nose. "- unsettling."

"Oh don't worry. She's grounded til she leaves for school."

"You think you can pull that off?"

"Do I look like an amateur?" Danny puffed up a little. "I installed an app on Grace's phone, too."

"You're spying on your daughter?"

"Just a simple family tracker." He wouldn't tell Lou about the time he could read Grace's texts.

Lou studied Danny, and then he replied. "Well, Will's grounded, too. I don't trust him. Because I was his age once."

Both men nodded at Lou's statement.

"Supervised visits only." Danny suggested.

They shook on it as Lou replied. "Agreed."

"Until their mothers go behind our backs."

Lou frowned. "Yup."

/././

_**Half an hour after Danny called Lou an Uber. **_

"Grace." Danny knocked before entering the guest bedroom, which was more or less his daughter's room at Steve's place. "It's your dad."

He felt out of place - like he wasn't supposed to be there – so he hovered in the doorway.

Grace rolled her eyes. "Danno, you can come in."

"Okay." Danny walked to the desk and pulled out the chair. His usual seat for a heart to heart.

She knew what was coming. "Please dad I don't–"

Danny shook his head and turned the chair around so he could face his daughter. Grace didn't finish her sentence.

"Listen, Grace, I'm not gonna lecture you. I'm glad you're okay. I'm not gonna ground you either." Danny massaged his temples, chasing away a headache. "Though part of me really wants to ground you. For life."

Big eyes looked at him, unsure but hopeful. "Will said I was grounded."

Danny's face lit up. "Will said, huh? What about your dear old dad?"

"I just thought –"

"Yea, I know. There was a time when –"

"You would have flipped out like crazy." Grace blurted, hand covering her mouth.

Laughing, Danny shook his head. Grace was right, but he felt like teasing. "Since when do I flip out?"

"Oh I don't know." Grace pretended to contemplate the question. "Every time Uncle Steve –"

"Every time Uncle Steve what?" Steve appeared. He ducked his head. "Is the embarrassing part over? I don't want to intrude."

Grace threw a pillow at Steve. "You're never intruding."

Steve tossed the pillow back to Grace. "Thank you, Gracie."

"Could I have another minute?" Danny loved Steve but he needed more alone time with his daughter. Sue him for being selfish.

"Dad…" Grace groaned. "You're so gonna flip out."

"I'll be right outside. Just in case." Steve backed out of the room, exaggerating his movements with a goofy grin plastered on his face.

Danny thought about shutting the door. He wanted to close them off from the world.

Grace sensed his mood shift. "I'm fine, dad. Really."

Fine. _What did that mean?_ She was safe. Not home but close enough. She understood why her dad used the word. Fine was a lid to contain what lurked beneath. What you weren't ready to deal with. A signal to the other person to stop pushing. To leave it alone. Maybe forever.

"Okay, Grace. I'll let it go for now. All of it."

"Thank you." A tear slid down her face.

He wanted to chase away everything bad, but Grace wasn't a kid anymore. She needed to make her own decisions. All he could do was offer. "You can talk to me when you're ready. Your mom. Steve. Someone you trust."

"I know, dad. Like before."

Danny cracked, voice catching. His next words impaled by the thought. _Like before. _Goddamn Rick Peterson.

His lungs felt like they'd twisted, and he put his hand over a sensitive spot on his chest. Phantom pain still haunted him. Danny took a deep breath and exhaled loudly to clear out the crushing feeling.

"Dad?"

Grace was worried, and Danny hated himself.

"I'm fine." The words slipped out of his mouth, and father and daughter stared at one another.

"Bullshit." Steve grunted from the hall, ending the standoff. He pushed his partner closer to the bed. Danny put his feet down to stop, and the wheels squeaked. "Say goodnight, Danny."

"Uncle Steve?"

"It's okay, Grace. We've all had a long day. Danno needs to leave you alone. Give you some space."

Grace relaxed a little. "It's alright."

Steve wasn't buying it. He knew she didn't want to hurt her dad's feelings. "You need your sleep."

It was all too normal for Danny. Like nothing had happened.

"No." Danny was angry. _What was Steve thinking?_

Steve rotated the chair so Danny was slightly facing him. "Danny?"

"I can't leave her. What if she needs me?" Danny's breathing was quick, shallow. "No, I'm staying right here tonight. In this chair."

"Don't I get a say in this?" Grace pouted. The child that she was made an appearance in her protest. "I'm fine. I'll call you if I need you."

"See, she's fine." Steve grabbed Danny's shoulders and shook him. "You're coming with me. Now."

"I'm okay, dad. You can check on me later." Grace tapped Danny's knee.

Danny nodded, letting his daughter and his best friend change his mind.

Grace knew what would help. "Pancakes in the morning?"

"Anything you want, Monkey." Calm now, the words came out like they were from a dream. Danny smoothed back his daughter's hair. "Uncle Steve likes pancakes, too."

"Alright, that's enough. Good night, Grace. We love you." Steve dragged Danny from the room.

/././

_**Some time later… Danny had lost track.**_

Danny kicked the sand. He'd come to the water's edge without shoes. He needed to be connected to something greater than himself. To seek forgiveness. To say thank you.

And everywhere he went, he felt Steve.

Physically. Emotionally.

A hand on his back. A word of comfort. Good food. All Danny's favorites. Grace's too. Didn't matter if no one was hungry. Steve was ready. Their ohana had stocked the house.

And now Danny was edgy. _Itchy._ To fight. To scream. To jump into the roiling water and swim for a mile.

"Danny."

He turned at his name, but didn't answer. Danny closed his eyes and sighed. He felt Steve step toward him. He got goosebumps when Steve wrapped him in a hug and whispered.

"Tell me what you need."

The answer was surprisingly easy for Danny. "You."

No hesitation. No question. Steve's mouth was on his neck, murmuring in his ear. "Anything Danny."

Danny felt like a big cliché. Seeking comfort in a friend. But he needed that trust.

The arms encircling him pulled him close.

"Hold me, Steve."

"I am holding you, Danny."

"Closer."

Danny let himself indulge in the fantasy. The emotional fallout would come later.

Big, warm hands slipped under his shirt, and then under his waistband. Danny didn't flinch as fingers dipped lower. He nudged Steve with soft lips until they kissed. Mouths open, tongues touching. So hungry they lost their balance. A tumble to the sand didn't stop them.

It only led to more furious groping.

Danny lost his mind with Steve hot beneath him, shirt bunched up. Hard muscle and tattoos. A scar like his own. He kissed the smooth skin, let his tears anoint it. Steve stretched and groaned beneath him.

"I need this. I need you, Steve."

"Take it, Danny. Take me."

"You want this? Steve look at me."

"Yea, I want this. You."

"Not here in the sand."

Steve smiled, his eyes caught the lights from the house. They twinkled. "I made my bed."

"I'm touched." Danny took Steve's offered hand.

"You should be." Steve kissed the side of Danny's head and led the way back.

/././

_**Later that night…**_

Grace woke to the murmur of voices and laughter. _Was she dreaming again?_

It took her a few seconds to get her bearings. She cataloged her surroundings. The sound of the ocean. The scents of jasmine and sandalwood. A bed full of pillows. Uncle Steve's place.

She listened, curious.

Uncle Steve and her dad were closing up the house for the night.

There was a new tone to their voices. She caught it right away. Their banter was playful – only different. Her dad's giggle. Steve's soft murmur. She got chills and thought about getting a better look. To confirm her suspicions.

But she didn't want to interrupt.

She texted Will instead – she'd won their bet about her dad and Uncle Steve – and then Grace drifted back to sleep.

* * *

_**Thank you for sticking with the story. Rearranging this chapter has created two more chapters to share. More coming soon…**_


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